Wow Your Guests This Weekend with our Rosh Hashanah Menu

September 29, 2016

Wow Your Guests This Weekend with our Rosh Hashanah Menu

rosh-hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year; a time for introspection as well as planning for a new and better year.  During the meal, the dipping of apples in honey to symbolize the hope for a sweet new year is an integral part of the celebration.  Other food served also tends toward the sweet.  

 

New fruits available at this time of year are often served including pomegranates, pears, peaches or pumpkin. Sweet vegetables such as carrots, beets, and squash are also part of the holiday food tradition. The main course might include fish, poultry or beef with a sweet glaze or sauce. We've gathered our favorite recipes that will be sure to delight your guests during your Rosh Hashanah celebration!

So here’s wishing everyone a sweet and generous new year, whether it starts now or January 1st from A Taste of Olive. L'shana Tova!

 

 

Pomegranate, Pear, Avocado Salad

This festive salad pairs deliciously with several vinaigrettes. Place following ingredients in a large salad bowl.

  • 8-10 cups romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
  • 2 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
  • 2 ripe but firm avocados, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • Seeds from 2 pomegranates
  • 1 cup crumbled feta or blue veined cheese

Vinaigrette 1:  2/3 cup Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic, 1/3 cup Sorrento Lemon Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp Honey. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette 2:  2/3 cup Key Lime White Balsamic, 1/3 cup Persian Lime Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp Honey. Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette 3: 2/3 cup Honey Pepper Balsamic, 1/3 cup Persian Lime Olive Oil, 1/2 Tbsp Honey. Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette 4: 2/3 cup Cinnamon Pear Balsamic, 1/3 cup French Roasted Walnut Oil, 1/2 Tbsp Honey. Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette 5:  2/3 cup Dark Chocolate Balsamic, 1/3 cup Smoky Chipotle Oil, 1/2 Tbsp Honey. Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Choose vinaigrette and whisk ingredients together. If you prefer a less sweet vinaigrette, change the proportion of olive oil to balsamic to ½ cup each.  Drizzle over  salad, toss and serve.

 

Parmesan Butter Steak with Balsamic Glaze

  • 2 TB grated parmesan plus shavings
  • 1 ½ tsp butter
  • 12 oz rib eye or sirloin steak
  • 1 Tbsp  A Taste of Olive Spicy Blend Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Aceto Reserva Balsamic Vinegar
  • ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1 tsp dark brown sugar

Mix 2 TB parmesan with 1 ½ tsp soften butter.  Set aside.  Place 1 TB Spicy Blend in the heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown and cook 4 minutes each side.  Remove steak from skillet and set aside in covered bowl.  Add vinegar, shallots and brown sugar to skillet.  Simmer until brown sugar is completely dissolved, constantly stirring (1-2 minutes).  Slice steak into strips diagonally.  Arrange steak on the plate and top with parmesan butter.  Drizzle glaze over top.

  

Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes   

  • 4 medium to large sweet potatoes
  • 1/4  cup Blood Orange Olive Oil or Butter Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
  • 1 tsp Sel Gris
  • Freshly ground pepper if desired
  • 1/4 cup maple sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat skins w/olive oil and prick several times with a fork. Roast sweet potatoes in oven until soft and done (about 45 minutes).  A fork should puncture the potato easily.  Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Peel off outer skin and place in bowl.  Mash the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and maple syrup.  Place mashed sweet potatoes into an ovenproof dish.  Sprinkle the maple sugar on top.  Return to oven until maple sugar starts to caramelize.  Serve.  If you don’t have maple sugar available, light brown sugar may be substituted.

 

Easy Honey Lime Fruit Salad

This salad works with almost any fruit combination you can think of so use our suggestions or be creative.  Start with 4 cups of fruit combined.  Try:

  • Cantaloupe, Strawberries & Green Grapes, or
  • Watermelon, Blueberries & Pears, or
  • Fresh Figs, Cantaloupe & Peaches

Dressing: Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Blend together until smooth:  3 oz cream cheese, 1 Tbsp Honey and 2 Tbsp Key Lime White Balsamic Vinegar.  Pour over fruit and toss gently to coat with dressing.  Serve cold.